make a wish

make a wish — idiom

1. to quietly say in your mind that you want a certain thing to happen, often while

1.慣用語A2
釋義

to quietly say in your mind that you want a certain thing to happen, often while blowing out candles, throwing a coin, or seeing a falling star

例句

Before blowing out the candles, Shirin closed her eyes and made a wish.

make a wish + blowing out birthday candles

Noa dropped a coin into the fountain and made a wish for good luck.

make a wish + tossing a coin into a fountain

同義詞
  • wish for something

    a plainer way to say the same idea, without the sense of a special or magical moment

  • make a silent wish

    the same act, but stressing that the hope is kept private and unspoken

  • say a little prayer

    close in feeling but usually religious, while making a wish can be playful or magical

文法句型

make a wish (and + clause)

close your eyes and make a wish

用法筆記

Almost always paired with a small ritual — birthday candles, a coin in a well or fountain, a falling star, or an eyelash — so the listener pictures a hopeful, slightly magical moment rather than a plain statement of wanting something.

常見錯誤

❌She did a wish before her birthday cake.
✅She made a wish before her birthday cake.
💡The fixed phrase uses 'make', not 'do'.
❌Nikhil made a wish for the falling star.
✅Nikhil made a wish on the falling star.
💡When you name the ritual object, the natural preposition is 'on' (make a wish on a star).